Mendo Draft Advisory

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat posted an article today about a draft heath advisory being posted for mercury levels in fish inhabiting lakes Mendo and Sonoma.  They give the usual mercury warning:  Women and children only one meal a month.  Guys get one meal per week.  They don't know the source.  It could be old mine tailings or just background levels from the local geology, which has a high mercury content.

They also (according to a radio interview I heard) could not say why they were even looking, but they are going to post the lake.

It sounds a bit hokey to me.  I'll keep eating the stripers I catch.

i'm sure there's a person on this site that has some inside information about this.

This is DRAFTY indeed.  We have helped them collect data for about the last 5 years...nuthin'.  Then they get one hot fish in Sonoma and it both lakes???  I'm on this like white on rice at the office, I'll keep everyone posted one way or the other.

On another note, the word contamination on this issue is also peavy.  This entire area is loaded with Hg...naturally.  Still kills you all the same, but at least in these two lakes its not the result of past misconduct, it might just be the way it is though.  Hopefully not, but now I NEED to know.

I really doubt that eating a fish or two is going to do diddly squat.

MolBasser

I really doubt that eating a fish or two is going to do diddly squat.

MolBasser

Then how do you explain the tie-dye and the mullet

I really doubt that eating a fish or two is going to do diddly squat.

MolBasser

Then how do you explain the tie-dye and the mullet

Ummm.....  too many Dead shows?

MolBasser

Then how do you explain the tie-dye and the mullet

I found some of it growing while I was work the other day!

This is what the Ukiah Daily Journal article said;

There are some concerns about the levels of mercury in fish being caught from Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma so the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is looking for local and public insight.

The OEHHA is asking for public comment on the first draft of a fish advisory concerning elevated levels of mercury in Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma.

"The state did some tests of Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma and found that there are heightened levels of mercury in certain species of fish," said John Rogers, Mendocino County Environmental Health director. "Those species are sunfish, crappie and large- and smallmouth bass."

This draft advisory was sent out to help advise people who fish in Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma, of some guidelines and information on the potential health effects posed by consuming fish that contain mercury. The fish advisories are not intended to discourage people from eating the fish entirely, but should be followed to make eating sport fish safer.

"Mercury is a naturally occurring element, and this area is known for it being in the soil and in the area," Rogers said. "This isn't an advisory for people to beware of the fish they catch in the lake, just for them to be more conscientious about the amount they eat.

"Fish is a healthy food item that many people eat here locally, and we just want to inform people and limit their exposure to mercury."

Mercury can have toxic effects on people, especially women who are pregnant, their fetus and children. Those types of people are very sensitive to mercury and should follow the safe eating guidelines from OEHHA.

Those guidelines are that if you are
   
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a woman beyond childbearing age or you are a man you can eat up to two meals a week of fish caught from the lakes. Sunfish, crappie and largemouth and smallmouth bass caught in the lakes should be eaten in moderation of no more than one meal a week.

If you are a woman of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding or if you are a child under the age of 17 then you are advised to eat sunfish and crappie caught in the lakes in moderation of no more than one meal a week. Avoid large or smallmouth bass caught in the lakes and try not to eat more than one meal of them a month.

While there might be higher levels of mercury in certain species of fish, physical contact with the water in Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma is safe.

OEHHA and its staff scientists will be making a presentation, answering questions and accepting public comments on the draft advisories at a public workshop to be held Sept. 19 at the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board office at 5550 Skylane Blvd., Suite A, Santa Rosa.

For more information about this draft advisory, visit the OEHHA Web site at www.oehha.ca.gov. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Oct. 2 at the OEHHA's Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Branch, 1515 Clay St., 16th floor, Oakland, CA 94612.

James Arens can be reached at [email protected].

It doesn't say anything about the stripers, but I think if you can eat more than 2 stripers in a week, you have other issues.

CHEERS!